Neil McCann, the manager of Kilmarnock, insists that stagnation is equivalent to regression and that continuous improvement is essential for the club's future. After taking the helm in January when the team was languishing in 11th place and had suffered defeats in more than half of their league fixtures, McCann guided the side to a late‑season surge that ultimately saved them from the relegation play‑offs. Reflecting on that turnaround, McCann told Sky Sports News that the atmosphere around the club is now markedly more optimistic. "The feeling is that there's a lot of positivity around the club in terms of their thoughts for the season, in particular because of how well we finished," he said.
He emphasized that this optimism belongs to the past and that the real work now lies with him, his assistant Billy Dodds, and the rest of the coaching staff to construct a squad capable of sustaining and extending that progress. "If you are standing still, you're effectively going backwards. So we need to definitely try and move ourselves forward," McCann warned.
"We don't want to be in the position we were in last January when I took over. We want to be really positive." Looking ahead, Kilmarnock's opening Premiership fixture will be against newly promoted St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
While some observers might assume the game will be a relatively easy start for the Ayrshire side because St Johnstone have just risen from the Championship, McCann cautioned against underestimating their opponents. He praised the tactical acumen of St Johnstone's manager, Simo Valakari, noting that the team possesses a "real solid way of playing" despite their recent promotion. McCann also acknowledged that his own squad is not yet operating at full capacity.
"Like every manager, we're probably not quite at full tilt yet. Not at the top gears and we'll continue to strive to get there," he admitted.
Nevertheless, he believes the confidence generated by last season's late‑year resurgence provides a solid foundation for the challenges ahead. "But I just think the positivity of last year is a good thing to build on," he added. In addition to on‑field ambitions, Kilmarnock have made a significant change to their home ground this season.
After a vote among Scottish Premiership clubs to ban artificial surfaces from the 2026/27 campaign, the club removed the synthetic pitch that had been in place at Rugby Park since 2014 and installed a natural grass surface. The new pitch was laid directly over the former astroturf, creating an exceptionally flat playing area. "The beauty about our pitch for this season is it's laid on top of what was the astroturf last year, so it's completely flat," McCann explained. He described how, just weeks ago, the ground resembled a sandpit, but the groundsmen have been working tirelessly to compact the soil and develop a surface that will "rival any in the country." McCann recalled that the artificial surface had been something of a fortress last season, with Kilmarnock winning six of their eight home games on it.
He believes the transition to grass will not only preserve that home‑advantage but also enhance the team's style of play. "I know we came in last year and it was really positive winning six out of the eight here at home, it became a bit of a fortress for us. But I think it's going to help us with the grass pitch," he said.
He went further, expressing the view that top‑level football should universally adopt natural grass. "If I'm honest, I think every top league should have the grass pitches. This will be one of the finest in the country and hopefully that can benefit how we want to play," he concluded.
Overall, McCann's message is clear: Kilmarnock must keep moving forward, both by refining their squad and by capitalising on the upgraded playing surface. The manager's blend of realistic appraisal and forward‑looking optimism sets the tone for a season that aims not merely to avoid the drop but to contend for a place among the Premiership's upper echelons.